A Mandala Meditation

[Guest guest]

Somewhere in the Shrimad Devi Bhagavatam there is a description of a

mandala, whose imagery I enjoy meditating on. In the central circle,

edged with eight lotus petals, is a six-pointed star. Each of the six

points contains a Tantric couple.

 

The upward-pointing (Male) triangle

dispays three hinges of the day, each associated with an aspect of the

Trimurti. Instead of their traditional consorts, each Deva is

accompanied by an aspect of Vak-Devi, the Goddess of Speech.

 

Apex -- Dawn -- Lord Brahma with Gayatri Devi

Lower right -- Noon -- Lord Vishnu with Savitri Devi

Lower left -- Dusk -- Lord Rudra-Shiva with Sarasvati Devi

 

The downward-pointing (Female) triangle

dusplays the following Tantric couples, who seem derived from the

Trimurti form opposite.

 

Bottom -- Lord Kama with Rati Devi (note that in some versions, the Love

God is born from Brahma's mind)

 

Upper left -- Lord Ganapati with Pushti Devi (in some versions, Ganesh

was born as a fraction of baby Krishna, given by Vishnu to Parvati)

 

Upper right -- Lord Kubera with Shri Devi (usually, the Lord of Riches

was created due to Shiva's grace)

 

Don't we have the traditional Four Goals of Life here? Dharma (Ganesha),

Artha (Kubera), Kama (er, Kama), and Moksha (from the Trimurti).

 

There are traditional Gayatri invocations associated...

 

Om Manobhavaya vidmahe

Kandarpaya dhimahi

Tanno Kamah prachodayat Om

 

(We envision the Mind-Born One/ We meditate on the Enflamer/ May Kama

enlighten us)

 

Om Kannaamshaya vidmahe

Vakratundaya dhimahi

Tanno Dantih prachodayat Om

 

(we envision the fraction of Krishna/ we meditate on the Twisted Trunk/

May the Tusked One enlighten us)

 

Om Ishvar'sakhaya vidmahe

Yaksharajaya dhimahi

Tanno Kuberah prachodayat Om

 

(We envision the Lord's Friend/ We meditate on the King of Yaksha

spirits/ May Kubera enlighten us)

 

Does anyone have a Gayatri for the Trimurti?

 

-- Len/ Kalipadma

 

 

 

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